Storage equipment, office furniture, and other storage units and the like, containing multiple storage compartments often include locking mechanisms in which one or more sliding bars are configured to prevent unauthorized opening of storage compartments when the units are locked. The locking bars slide within a predefined path, between a locked position (in which the storage compartments are blocked from opening) and an unlocked position (in which one or more of the storage compartments are unlocked and may be opened).
In some instances, rotatable locks (sometimes called locking cylinders, or rotatable locking cores) are used in association with various mechanical systems to operate the locking bars between the locked position and unlocked position. However, certain prior art systems are prone to misalignment of the components of those locking systems during operation, so that it becomes difficult or impossible to properly reclose and lock the storage compartments after opening and operating one or more of the storage compartments.
It is desirable to have a locking system in which the lock (such as by way of example, a locking cylinder, locking core or similar component) is maintained in its proper position and orientation, so that the storage unit may be fully closed and all storage compartments may be locked when the storage compartments are returned to their closed positions.